


Red

by milkvtea



Category: Original Work
Genre: Boy wonder, Imaginary Friend, Kids, Mature Themes ?, Mysteryish, Other, Schizophrenia, School, Short Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24705520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkvtea/pseuds/milkvtea
Summary: A short story about a little boy with an “imaginary” friend.
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	Red

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thank u sm for reading my story it means the world to me. I’ve always wanted to be an author so i’ve published my stories on a few different platforms! U can find me on wattpad, instagram, medium, and facebook under Angelmiin! I hope u like the story!

Everyday went the same. At school, he was the odd one out. Why? Because they didn't understand him. They didn't understand that he was different. He saw the things they didn't, he saw the real them and the real world. He owed it all to Red.

His only friend. Red was just a nickname, it refused to tell Archie its real name, no Archie had to earn that. So for now Red didn't have a name, or a face. Red didn't like Archie's family, Red told him they were conspiring against him. Planning to send him to a stay away camp for crazy people. So Archie ignored them. Red didn't like Archie's teachers, Red told him that they were teaching him lies. So Archie tuned them out.

He only had Red now, his only friend. Red was the only one who understood him. He owed it all to Red.

Monday September 1st, 20073:27 a.m.

He couldn't sleep, he barely ever could. He watched the numbers go by on the digital alarm clock by his bed. Lately things seemed different. He always heard his parents fighting from the living room, they would stay up late and scream. It was always about him, they would fight about what was wrong with him. They would fight about what to do with him. They had not always fought, it only started after he explained he couldn't talk to them anymore because Red didn't like them. He didn't really understand any of what they were saying, until Red explained it to him. Red made everything clear. They wanted to send him away, they said he needed help.

Archie didn't understand, he was perfectly fine. He didn't need help. (They just want to change you, Red would tell him, they want to fix what's not broken You're just a project to them.) He didn't want to be sent away. He didn't need to be sent away. He wasn't sure if he was convincing himself or if that's what he believed but he decided not to look into it.

Monday September 1st, 2007 9:45 a.m.

Archie was in a bad mood. He was tired and angry. Angry because of his parents. Angry because of his teacher. Angry because of his peers. Archie was tired of getting yelled at. Archie was tired of them telling him he was wrong, wrong about the world. What do they know anyways?

Archie sat in the first seat of the front row, the window seat. He could hear the rain tapping the window and the thunder striking the ground. Oh how he wished he could go outside, sit in the rain and get away from everyone else, Oh how he wished he could go outside and be alone and free, alone and free with Red. Wishes don't always come true, hence why he's stuck in class listening to Ms. Lee drone on and on about prefixes.

Recently, Red had been quite antsy. Red said they didn't have much time left, his parents were getting more and more adamant about sending him away. Red said they wanted to 'make him better' even though he wasn't sick. Red said it wanted to run away. Red said it wanted to get away before Archie's parents made any rash decisions.

"Archie!" Ms.Lee called, "out of everyone in this class you need this assignment to bring your grade up the most!".

Archie rolled his eyes, his attention staying with the rain.

"Archie Wonder, grab your things and go to the principal's office!"

Now Archie was mad, and so was Red. Who does she think she is? Ordering him around. Are you just going to sit there and take it? Or are you going to fight back? Defend yourself!

"No!" Archie bellowed, the entire class gasping loudly in shock.

"Thats a referral! Go to the office now" Ms.Lee shouted, her forehead creasing and lips turning downwards in fury.

Archie huffed and grabbed his bag. He harshly pulled out his chair, got up, and then kicked it to the side. Archie stomped to the classroom door and jerked it open only to slam it closed.

This so unfair. The teacher is overreacting, you didn't do anything wrong. For once, Archie completely agreed with Red.

Monday September 1st, 2007 11:30 a.m.

Archie was now sitting in the principal's office. The cushion of the chair felt rough, like it was digging into the skin of his arms and thighs. Next to him sat both of his parents, and across from him sat the principal.

"Explain yourself" The principal, Mr.Shaw, said. His voice calm and somewhat soothing Archie shook his head.

"Archie, explain yourself right now!" Archie's mom yelled astonished by his behavior. Mr.Shaw held his hand up signaling Mrs.Wonder to stop talking. Her thick eyebrows furrowing creating a lump of skin in between them. The tips of her ears were as red as her lipstick, either from anger or embarrassment from being silenced.

"If you don't explain to us what's going on , we won't be able to decide on a fitting punishment". Mr.Shaw was slowly losing his patience and it showed. They had been sitting for a little over 30 minutes trying to get Archie to explain his side of the story.

Don't give in, Red said, Don't humor them. They want a reaction out of you. They want to mock you. They don't even have a reason to be mad. Sure you talked back to a teacher and you knocked over a chair. So what?

"I did nothing wrong" Archie said, gritting his teeth and digging his nails into the palms of his hands. He was trying his best to stay calm, but Red was right. He felt like they were mocking him.

"You caused a scene and disrupted class" ,Mr.Shaw started, "Ms.Lee said she felt threatened. Like you were going to throw your chair at her or something".

"That's absurd!" Archie's dad gasped "Archie may be temperamental, but he would never hurt someone". Mr.Wonder was lot different from Archie's mom. He tended to get emotional easier, this was clear in the way his eyes welled with tears and the finger he had pointed at the principal was quivering slightly. He looked about ready to cry. Red always reprimanded Archie when he got emotional, don't be like your dad Red would sneer don't be a crybaby.

He's wrong. You don't have issues, they're the real problems.

The conversation slowly turned into an argument, 'a small disagreement' his mom would say, Archie stopped listening. He didn't care. They could fight all they wanted. He would just tune them out, like always.

Monday September 1st, 2007 1:15 p.m. 

Archie was sitting at the sidelines during recess. Sitting and watching the other kids play. His teacher always asked why he didn't play with the other kids. He wanted to tell her about how he hated them, how they called him a freak for always spacing out and talking to himself, how they called him names because he didn't have any friends and got bad grades.He would always shrug in return, that seemed to satisfy the teacher enough as she would give him a small okay and then turn away to talk with the other teachers.

You don't need them. They'll only hold us down. Look at them mindlessly chasing each other and kicking stones. Is that really what you want to waste your time on? We could do so much more. You and me, Archie, forever.

Archie smiled, Red always knew what to say. Red was always there for him.

Monday September 1st, 2007 8:30 p.m.

It was around 8:30 p.m., two hours after dinner. Archie was starving, his parents wouldn't let him have dinner as a punishment for earlier. Red was pissed and so was Archie.

Who do they think they are? Starving us because your teacher is too uptight.

Red was always a good friend, defending him and helping him see the things for how they really are. Now however, Archie began to feel concerned (and a little afraid of Red but he won't admit that) However, Red always did what was best for Archie so Archie should trust it. He owed complete loyalty to Red, it was a small price to pay in return for Red's friendship. Right now Red was going on about running away. Red wanted to get away from Archie's parents.

"Are you sure you want to run away, Red, can't we just ignore them?" Archie said aloud, voice trembling a little along with his hands.

No, Red asked, We have to do this. Archie, do you want to be sent away? All alone where i might not even be with you?

"No" Archie said, he wanted to make Red happy but he was afraid this was a little extreme.

Well then, we will need money -- lots of it Red said probably pondering some insane plan on how to get away with this.

"How will we get it?"Archie asked.

Don't be so slow Archie, we'll take it. We'll go to the bank down the street, then we can convince whoevers working at the desk that your parents sent us to get some money from their account. Then we can run away, as far as we can possibly get. We can make a better life for you Archie. It's a fool proof plan!

Red sounded so sure of themselves, Archie was scared to point out the obvious. They would never actually give Archie the money without his parents present. Afraid to anger Red, Archie just agreed and said goodnight. Both of them knowing very well he wouldn't actually fall asleep.

Saturday September5th, 2007 5:07 a.m.

Archie could hear his parents, they were arguing in the living room. It sounded important. he could hear his mother's voice, she sounded more stern this time. He could hear his father sigh, he sounded defeated.

Go to the door Archie, Red nagged, Listen to what they are saying!

Red was right, he didn't want to be kept in the dark any longer. Archie slowly pushed the covers off of himself and tiptoed quietly to his bedroom door, which was conveniently placed right across from the living room entrance where his parents were arguing, and cracked the door open a tiny bit moving very very slowly. Archie crouched at the crack of the door and cupped his left ear with both hands in order to hear better.

"Listen to me" his mom yelled "Archie needs help"

"No he doesn't" His dad's voice was cracking slightly as he spoke. "Archie is perfectly fine".

"He shows all the signs, even Doctor Green agrees with me, he needs professional help. He at least needs to be watched until they can properly diagnose him!". His mom's voice was raspy now she sounded at the verge of tears.

He grew even more curious. What were they talking about? What was he showing signs of? Why would he need to be diagnosed with something or watched? He felt perfectly fine. Archie became impatient, he wanted answers. He slowly pushed the door open a little bit more. He heard his parents stop talking for a moment, almost like they heard him. After a beat or two the conversation continued.

"He's our son, we should be caring for him. He should be staying with us! Not some doctors that he doesn't know".His dad's voice was breaking, he was crying.

"Hes schizophrenic! I know you've seen it! He doesn't sleep, he doesn't talk to anyone except himself, his grades have plummeted, he refuses to shower or brush his teeth,he even told us about his friend, Red, who doesn't like us just last week!" his mom was yelling even louder now. "Don't be selfish, if you loved him then you'd want him to be helped". His parents were both sobbing at this point, Red on the other hand was fuming.

Archie got up quickly and slammed the door, locking it behind him as he ran to his bed. He jumped under the covers and began to cry. He needed to get out of here before they sent him away!

What did I tell you Archie, Red spat angrily, I told you they were plotting against you. Red's voice suddenly sounded too loud, Archie's breath was too harsh, and his heart was beating too fast.

"Shut up!" Archie yelled "leave me alone". His parents were banging on the door now, but he could barely hear their pleads for him to come out over Red's unrelenting yelling.

It has to be today Archie! We have to get the money and leave today. Archie agreed with Red, he had to get out.

Saturday September 5th, 2007 5:30 p.m.

Both of Archie's parents had left for the grocery store they had invited him to come with them, but he declined. He could barely look them in the eyes. Whenever he looked at them he felt anger and a little bit of guilt, guilt for what he was about to do.

Archie sat in front of the tall mirror standing next to his closet door. He looked at his appearance. His greasy dark hair falling over his forehead in waves, it's been forever since he's got it cut. He felt shame while looking at himself, he saw his parents in his reflection. He had his mom's sharp nose and bushy eyebrows, but his dad's doe eyes and thin lips. His lips were chapped, his skin was taking on a yellow hue, his hair was thin and broken at the ends, probably from the way he took care of himself, or lack thereof. He imagined what he would look like if he took better care of himself, what he would look like if Red let him take better care of himself.

He imagined his hair, thick and trimmed. His eyes full of life and his lips smooth. He imagined his skin with a healthy glow and his teeth pearly and white. He shook his head, this could never happen as long as Red was around. Red liked the way he looked, Red liked when he was vulnerable.

Archie slapped himself with little force to get himself away from this ridiculous thought, there was a task at hand!

Saturday September 5th, 2007 6:00 p.m.

After about 10 minutes of walking here he was. Standing outside the large glass doors of Ameris Bank. He huffed through his nostrils and pushed the doors open. The metal of the door handles felt cold, so so cold it felt like little needles piercing his skin. His reflection in the glass looked disoriented, or maybe that was just him. The bell above the doors rang and up shot the head of the middle aged women sitting at the front desk. She looked at him confused, probably as to why someone so young was walking into the bank without an adult. He wasn't alone though, Red was with him.

The walk from the front door to the desk felt like it took hours. He wanted to stop and turn back, go home and let his parents send him away. Maybe that's what he needed. No, he was being crazy he had to do this. This was for Red and himself, this would give them a better life together. The nagging voice in the back of his head reminded him of his faulty logic, this would never work. He pushed that thought to the back off his head and began to walk faster as Red scolded him for being slow.

"Are your parents meeting you in here, honey?" The lady asked him, Margot Brown read her name tag. She had black hair with grey strands pulled back into a bun and crows feet surrounding her eyes. By her lips were smile lines and small wrinkles appeared on her forehead. She was lucky, she probably didn't have someone like Red controlling her every move.

What was he thinking? He loved Red. He owes everything he has to Red. Red is his friend. So why now does it feel like Red was a foe instead? Why did he feel the urge to tell this woman to call his parents and take him home? Away from Red.

"No, it's just me" Archie replied, voice cracking between words and body shaking slightly.

"Well then what can I do for you? Do you need directions? Or for me to call somebody?". He looked around the bank. They were the only ones there, her full undivided attention was on him. Great.

"I need some money. My parents sent me" He mentally high fived himself for keeping his tone consistent.

"I'm sorry honey, but your parents will need to do that themselves. I can call them if you'd like?" the woman's voice now sounded annoyed, like she would rather be anywhere else. For some reason that angered Archie. Couldn't she see that he was struggling? Couldn't she tell he was in some sort of trouble?

"No!" Archie yelled slamming his fists down onto the white marble countertops. The pen that sat on the edge of the desk near the large desktop computer rolled off the counter and hit the ground with a soft thud.

"There's no need for that, sir" she spoke calmly but you could feel the agitation rolling off of her in waves. Her once welcoming smile was turned down into an ugly frown. Her hand was inching towards the phone.

"Give me money" Archie spoke frantically now, he was worried. Who was she going to call?

"If you don't leave now i will the call the police" Oh god, he had ruined everything. The logical part of him told him to turn around and run. Yet Red convinced him to stand his ground. Archie straightened out his back, crossed his arms and pointed his eyes into hers. He attempted to give her a menacing look, well as menacing as a 12 year old could possible conjure up. She scoffed at him and grabbed the phone. Her hands moved fastly, as soon as he heard the clicking sound of her selecting numbers he turned his back and ran.

He ran as fast as he possibly could. He ran across the road and passed the different neighborhoods and stray houses along the way to his. Maybe he could make it back before his parents and they wouldn't even know he left. He saw the entrance to his neighbourhood and ran even faster, if possible.

As he was about to turn into the driveway, he felt his ankle twist and a searing pain shoot through his right leg. He fell to the ground and rolled to lie on his back. Tears of anger, sadness, and embarrassment rolled down his face. The scene was illuminated by the car light behind him.

He barely heard the car doors open from behind him, or his parents shouts of worry to see if he was alright. He just continued crying as Red yelled harsh words of anger through his mind. He felt himself be lifted up, and the familiar comforting smell of eucalyptus and lemongrass filled his nose. A sense of comfort filled him, even as the pain in his leg raged on and the pain in his head and heart from Reds slurs of disappointment kept coming in strong. He knew, for once in his life, that he would be alright, with or without red (i.e without)

Saturday September 5th, 2007 8:30 p.m.

It was hours after the incident, Red was a hot ball of fury in his mind. He could practically feel Reds anger coursing through his veins and moving along with his blood. As every minute passed Red got more aggressive, Red was like a bright light behind his eyes. Burning his eyes and contributing to Archies massive headache, he imagined Reds fists, like balls of fire, pounding against his skull.Reds insults quickly turned into threats. Empty threats, but still threats nonetheless. Red threatened to make him hurt himself or his parents. He didn't want to let Red control him anymore, but it seemed impossible. How could he get rid of Red? Red had been with him for so long. Looking back at everything, it was always Red who convinced him to act out. He didn't even know who he was without Red. 

Reds rugged voice was screaming now, like nails on a chalkboard. He needed help. He couldn't live like this. He wanted to get better, but how should he start? The first stop on the road to recovery is accepting and admitting, right? Well then he knew what he had to do.

Archie trudged from his room to the living room His parents were sitting on the loveseat, talking in hushed voices. "Mommy, daddy" he started-voice quiet. "I think i need help" Archies voice cracked and his eyes began to water. He blinked back his tears and walked closer to where his parents were sitting. He sat on the mauve colored carpet and buried his face in his knees, whole body shaking with sobs. His parents stared down at him, sorrow fell through their faces. "Oh baby..." she began, voice cutting off, "we know" and for once, Archie was glad. His father looked over at him before sighing, "i suppose you're right" he started, "come here boy" his father gestured for Archie to come sit on the couch with them and once he did he pulled him into a tight hug, "i love you".

Wednesday February 9th, 2008 12:28 p.m.

It had been months since he was registeredinto special care by the children's hospital. The doctors said they felt Archie was still too young to be diagnosed with anything, they said Red could just be an imaginary friend. His parents told him they had to keep him here, only for a little while. They said if he wanted to get better he had to stay here, he did want to get better.

He felt that things were looking up, even though he still felt the constant numbness from Reds disappearance and the loneliness of being kept away from his home. His parents came to visit him as often as they could, they always checked up on him to see how he was adjusting into his new home, home for the next year or so.

He knew it was wrong, yet he still couldn't help but yearn for Red. Red had both helped and hurt him in many ways. Sure, Red kept him from his family and education. But, Red also was his first real friend. Red was always there for him, it had promised that they would be with him forever. It had gone though. It had left him.

The doctors told him it was for the best and maybe it was. Although he couldn't help but wonder what could have been if Reds plan would have worked.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope u liked it. I rlly appreciate feedback and constructive criticism!!!


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